Please note the irony warning sign at the end of my title. Yes, the three ladies, Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston, are 'traitors' but only to their own former political party, so it's hardly a hanging offence. Also, it was a slight relief that Ms. Soubry managed to wipe the usual scowl off her face and even managed a smile or two. Her majority at the last election was a mere 863 so she faces "interesting times" in the near future!
Alas, this Brexit show has run and run and run for far too long. It has opened up a huge fissure across the country but I suspect that if it wasn't Brexit it would be something else. Politically we have suffered, or perhaps lazed is a better word, in a sort of 'never-never-land' where, despite the silly squabbles in Parliament, nothing really mattered that much. Of course, 'Remainers' will have it that we were slowly and steadily advancing towards a new European dawn. Brexiteers, on the other hand, could see the reality that in fact we were shrinking to become a vassal state under German rule. Something had to give!
There is a small part of me that almost hopes for another referendum because I feel in my bones that the result would be an even greater majority to be rid of the Fourth Reich and the Brussels dictatorship.
Also in the news today:
Another MP has deserted Labour. It seems even more obvious even to a Yank that Labour is going nowhere until they dump Corbyn.
Mrs. May has gone to Brussels to once again re-negotiate the backstop, which EU representatives have plainly stated ain't gonna happen. Probably the poor lady just wants to spend some time with people less annoyed by her.
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 20 February 2019 at 18:26
"if it wasn't Brexit it would be something else." Like too much immigration too fast. Or, more broadly, Cultural Marxism.
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 20 February 2019 at 19:29
If the Jerries run the EU how come the EU is standing up to the Jerries and the Nord Stream 2 project - the latter-day Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact? ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/02/18/merkels-defence-russias-energy-weapon-pipeline-shows-will-always/
And how will the "Fourth Reich" be stopped if Blighty pussy-foots about in the channel with the drawbridge up and doesn't step back in to give the Ukies, Nordics, Baltics, Ost Blokkers, France and the EU a hand?
You think you can leave it to Uncle Sam - already stepping into your void and frantically trying to stop them? ...
"First they came for the Ukies, and we did not speak out -
Because we weren't Ukies.
Then they came for Polacks, and we did not speak out -
Because we weren't Polacks.
Then they came for Frogs, and we did not speak out -
Because we weren't Frogs.
Then they came for us - and there was no one left to speak for us."
The Jerry Lutheran pastor's words reworked in the lingo of the Brexiteer.
It's only a bit of hot air required this time, not cold steel like our forefathers.
Don't you feel the slightest tinge of cowardly shame?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Wednesday, 20 February 2019 at 20:34
"Her majority at the last election was a mere 863 so she faces "interesting times" in the near future!"
Soubry is inordinately keen on a "People's Vote". I'm sure she will resign as MP and submit herself to a "People's Bye-election" as soon as she can prepare the press releases. The same goes for all of them, really. If they're that keen on democracy, they should put themselves in the thick of the democratic process as often as possible.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Wednesday, 20 February 2019 at 20:59
As I understand it, despite the complaints of institutional anti-Semitism and bullying in the Labour party, most, if not all, of the breakaway MPs are Remainers. The cynical side of me suspects that this may be a ploy, agreed by Remainers in all parties, to bring Brexit to a shuddering, grinding halt. Once this has been achieved, the MPs will return to their respective parties claiming their differences have been resolved. Job done!
The fact that his country will be forever humiliated in the eyes of the world, worries them not a jot as, even though they have become wealthy sucking on this country's teat, many hate this country and hold the electorate in contempt.
Still looking for piano wire and old lampposts on eBay.
Posted by: Penseivat | Thursday, 21 February 2019 at 09:11
If the evolutionary model of parliament democracy has discovered a new way of dispatching dodgy plebiscites at 52-48 when even the Bolsheviks insisted on 60-40 in their "democratic centralism" model, then Brexit will have had one good thing going for it.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Thursday, 21 February 2019 at 14:56
I do like Mrs May and although she is a remainer is doing her best to get a fair deal for the UK. However if she got a cracking deal the remainers will vote against it. The remainers have named called the leavers since the referendum as being stupid, racist etc. So why do those splitters not go for for bye elections and find out if the people that voted them in are stupid!
Posted by: Glesga | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 00:43
Fuck off, Duff. You’ll have to go it alone at Phil’s from now on.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 05:04
Ooooh, Darkie, who's Phil - and pray tell: what did the Gaffer do to upset him?!
Btw, I do the trolling around here, awight?
Bloody Darkie's come here stealing all our jobs (and that's 50p in the swear box - or I'll raise a case of positive discrimination with the Gaffer).
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 07:54
Just re-read my "Then they came for ..." comment above.
Say so myself, but I went to bed with a kick-ass warm feeling that day.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 08:11
A word of explanation for the 'mysterious' comment above from "The Dark Avenger" (DA). His choice of 'nom de plume' is noteworthy!
Anyway, I am in the habit of commenting on an American site which is in full, one might even say, overflowing support for the Democratic party 'over there'. Needless to say, my comments there are about as welcome as a shit sandwich and 'DA' is a frequent critic - especially of me!!! The owner of the site, Phil Carpenter, is a bit like a demented, old Head Teacher and for some reason banned 'DA' for something he had written. I interceded and pleaded for a 'softer sentence'. It is a measure of DA's, er, gratitude that he sent me the response above!
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 10:10
'SoD', as your exceedingly elderly Father, it is for me to go soft in the head, not you!
SoD, I realise that mere facts are of little interest to you but the EU is NOT, repeat NOT, "standing up to the Germans over the Russian Nordstream project". The Germans are pressing on regardless of the little squeaks of protest from 'Junck the Drunk' and his 'polit-bureau'.
This, of course, is absolutely of no surprise to anyone who heeded the wise words of the late, great Nicholas Ridley in 1990 who warned that "the EU is a German racket". And when Martin Selmayr takes over from 'Junck' you will see - and feel! - the reality!
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 10:27
"Dark Avenger" banned over there? I thought he was a member in good standing of the Amen Corner?
Posted by: Whitewall | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 12:27
DA was banned from Carpenter's because he was more often than not a troll over there. He's also one of the 2 or 3 more sensible people to comment, though he's a bit over the top occasionally. I banished myself before Carpenter had to do it.
You're right that Carpenter is a Democrat, but what you still can't seem to fathom is that Democrats are not equivalent to your Labour party. They are to the right of them in nearly every way. The right wing propaganda spewed in America would have you believe they're the second coming of Joe Stalin, but that is pure bullshit.
Though Carpenter claims to be a socialist for some reason, as far as I can tell he's nothing more than a Democratic Party hack. His blog might be the only one I've ever seen that represents the "radical center", or SoD's "democratic centralism". That kind of thinking was big in the 1990's, but the defeat of Hillary by a game show host and mob boss meant the end of it.
Posted by: Bob | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 17:07
Here's a class example of "Democratic Centralism" in action ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2019/02/22/hundreds-university-students-attempt-block-jewish-society/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget
The majority of Essex University's students voted to ban the formation of a Jewish Society.
I wonder if that was 52:48? Or being likely a Bolshi bunch, maybe 60:40?
If the majority votes to put a minority in a gas chamber that's life under "rule by plebiscite", I guess.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 22 February 2019 at 21:00
(1 point) Which one of these is not like the others?:
a. K-Pop society
b. Ted-X Society
c. Pokemon Go Society
d. Jewish Society
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 23 February 2019 at 00:35
Not sure what your point is, Bob?
The only societies I joined at Uni were the Anarchist Society and the Conservatives.
The anarchists weren't anarchists at all, they were too well organised for starters. Rather they were leftist thugs.
In the first meeting I attended, which bore so much resemblance to the Python "What have the Romans ever done for us?" it was uncanny, they went round table asking each their politics and what they thought of the current administration, which was Mrs T. Leftist jargon spilt incontinently out of their mouths and onto the floor and Mrs T died a thousand death types that if an ISIS rep had been there he would've taken notes - "Ooh, that's a good one, we'll have that, like that one too, can you wait a moment while I fetch a pencil and pad?".
Last came my turn.
I enjoyed so very much telling them that proper anarchists were closer to Margaret Thatcher and the small state, Libertarian, right wingers abundant at the time than any other party or leftist political faction. When I said Proudhon himself, had he been around today, would have been a Thatcherite someone choked on the sandwich they were eating so badly the meeting had to pause while someone fetched a pint from the Epicurean bar next door.
You should have seen the expressions on their faces.
I thought of the dear old Gaffer and his grenade rolling in the CND meetings at the Fleapit in Sunninghill, you remember, for yes, twas there ...
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/24636/photos
... and how as a little boy I surged with joy at the squirming and bum-rolling of a challenged authority.
Memories like that are what good fatherhood and uni are all about.
Now, what was your point exactly, Bob?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Saturday, 23 February 2019 at 10:17
Blimey, SoD, that was a sudden trip down memory lane! Yes, I'm afraid I was "a very naughty boy" at any CND meeting that occurred near me. I suppose that's where you acquired your argumentative nature!!!
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 23 February 2019 at 12:55
My point was, "How's the weather at the tippy top of the Nolan chart?" Someone here once linked a blog with the motto "Study everything, join nothing" that fits my inclinations perfectly. So which of us is the real anarchist, or at least real freethinker? Libertarianism is just another doctrine.
The picture of you and FoD going to movies and rolling grenades about together is truly heart warming.
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 23 February 2019 at 15:23